The Piece

A striking vintage Mele jewelry box, made in the U.S.A., featuring a deep emerald green exterior, fine gold-tone striping, and a cream satin-lined interior. Compact, structured, and beautifully organized, this piece captures the polished vanity style of the 1960s–1970s, when even a jewelry box was apparently expected to have more composure than most modern furniture.

The box opens to reveal a tiered interior with necklace hooks, a satin pocket, ring slots, divided compartments, and a lift-out tray. The exterior is finished in a rich green faux-leather or vinyl-style covering with gold pinstripe detailing and a small gold-tone front pull.

Marked “MELE Made in U.S.A.” on the front, this piece is both functional and decorative, ideal for use on a dresser, vanity, closet shelf, boutique display, or styled vintage vignette.

Design & Construction

The jewelry box has a rectangular case form with a hinged lid and structured interior storage. The exterior features a glossy emerald green finish with subtle texture, framed by thin gold-tone lines across the lid and lower front edge. The small front pull adds a refined metallic accent without overwhelming the clean mid-century form.

Inside, the lid is lined in cream satin with a gathered storage pocket and a row of necklace hooks. Below, the upper tray includes long ring rolls, small divided side compartments, and fitted sections for earrings, pins, bracelets, or smaller keepsakes. The tray lifts to reveal a larger lower storage section with additional divided compartments.

The construction is typical of American vanity jewelry cases from the mid-to-late 20th century, using a rigid case body, vinyl or faux-leather exterior, satin fabric, flocked lining, metal hinges, support arms, and molded interior organizers.

History & Provenance

Mele was one of the best-known American jewelry box makers of the 20th century, producing vanity cases, jewelry organizers, musical jewelry boxes, and dresser storage pieces for the domestic market. This example likely dates to the 1960s–1970s, based on its color palette, gold striping, cream satin interior, molded hooks, lift-out tray design, and “Made in U.S.A.” mark.

The emerald green finish gives this piece stronger visual appeal than many neutral-toned jewelry boxes from the same era. It feels both practical and decorative, with enough age and surface wear to show its history without losing its charm.

Why This Belongs in Your Home

This jewelry box brings a polished vintage note to a vanity, dresser, closet, or boutique display. The green and gold exterior gives it a rich, classic look, while the cream interior adds softness and contrast. It is useful enough for daily storage but attractive enough to display openly.

Use it for jewelry, watches, heirloom pieces, cufflinks, brooches, hair accessories, letters, or small keepsakes. It offers that rare combination of form and function, which is wonderful because most modern organizers seem designed by someone who has never owned anything beautiful.

Product Details

Condition Notes

This piece is in good vintage condition with visible signs of age and prior use. The exterior shows scattered surface scratches, scuffs, small marks, and light wear to the green finish. The gold-tone striping and Mele maker’s mark remain visible. The interior appears largely complete, with satin lining, necklace hooks, ring slots, tray compartments, and lower storage sections intact. Some dust, age toning, and light discoloration may be present to the cream interior lining and flocked tray, consistent with vintage use.